At four in the afternoon, practice began right on time after school.
The First Team players carried out the most basic batting drills, while the others assisted.
As for the remaining first-years, they were doing even more basic training... running!
"Crack!"
"Crack!"
People who came to watch practice after work also enjoyed this kind of training.
After all, watching ball after ball fly far into the distance was pretty entertaining.
"I thought they'd keep practicing with fastballs in preparation for Amakusa's fastball!
But they're using slow balls to accurately hit toward the right side of center field!" one spectator said after watching for a while.
Seeing that the team he supported did not have the tense atmosphere of preparing for a match, his own nervousness eased as well.
"And they aren't relying on power. They're waiting until the ball gets in front of their bodies before making solid contact!
They're going back to the basics!
Push hit practice doesn't send the ball very far, but it's still an important part of batting!" the burly man beside him added.
"For left-handed batters, that would be pulling the ball," the first man replied with a smile.
"That's true!!"
"Come to think of it, I haven't seen Sendou!"
"That kid is running!
I heard he'll be doing stolen-base practice afterward!"
"That makes sense. Sendou is at the stage where he needs to rapidly improve his immediate ability.
Isn't he batting? This is such a rare chance to practice the basics!"
"No! Sendou will bat last!"
"Last again?"
The two chatted and laughed together, apparently recalling how, when the first-years had joined practice for the first time, Sendou had only gotten his turn after everyone else had finished batting.
"Crack!"
"Crack!"
"Bang!"
"Oh!!"
At that moment, Tetsu's Younger Brother hit a Home Run to